Resident Shares His Passion for Model Boats with Neighbors at Linden Ponds

Arthur Perlmutter, a longtime member of the Marine Modelers Club of New England, he has spent more than 30 years building detailed, radio-controlled boats.

So, when Arthur and his wife Irene learned that Linden Ponds, an Erickson Senior Living community in Hingham, Mass., offers a worry-free lifestyle and a range of amenities, including a woodshop, they were impressed.

"We looked around at a lot of retirement communities, but none of them compared to Linden Ponds," says Arthur. "We were impressed with the whole package--everything from the woodshop to the strong sense of community, and especially the continuing care."

Since moving into their maintenance-free home at Linden Ponds, Arthur has more time to build model boats and share his passion with new friends.

Teaching others

Arthur, who learned the art of woodworking from his father, has tackled many home projects in the past and continues to design refined model boats.

This passion for craftsmanship naturally led Arthur to connect with like-minded peers at the woodshop--a bustling, resident-run workspace that quickly became his second home.

With his model fishing boats, tugboats, and other working ships usually measuring close to three-feet long, it didn't take long before others noticed.

"A couple of people asked if I could show them how to build a small boat. I said, 'No problem.' One resident bought a kit, which I duplicated so it would be easier to explain the process as we each built it side by side," he recalls. "Then, another joined us. Now, there are three of us building boats in the woodshop."

Together, they assembled the hull, shaped the deck, and finished the details of a model-sized replica of a Herreshoff 12½ sailboat.

A new frontier

While heading to the fitness center one afternoon, Arthur took a second look at Linden Ponds' indoor pool. He asked Fitness Manager Ian Richardson whether it would be possible to run Marine Modelers Club boats in the pool, and Richardson eagerly agreed.

As a result, in early 2024, Arthur invited the members of the Marine Modelers Club of New England to the community. Residents enjoyed seeing the boats in the water and on display.

"It was a great way to take advantage of the quiet winter months, before the outdoor pond season began," says Arthur.

In 2025, Arthur expanded the event into two days. During the first day, club members could run their boats. On the second day, Linden Ponds residents and their grandchildren could have fun controlling tugboats in the pool.

"One resident was just standing by the pool watching," Arthur recalls. "I handed him a remote and showed him what to do. When he got the boat moving, he had the biggest smile. He didn't want to give up the controls!"

In fact, the event was so popular that Richardson encouraged Arthur to bring the group back annually, noting how special it was for residents to experience something firsthand. The story even appeared in the Scale Ship Modelers Association of North America (SSMA) publication, inspiring clubs around the country to run their boats in retirement community pools.

"I think we started something," Arthur says. "People come from New Hampshire, from the Cape, and other long distances just to take part. It's a wonderful midwinter tradition."

Enjoying every day

When he's not in the woodshop, at the indoor pool, or near the pond, Arthur enjoys tending to tomatoes and perennials with Irene in their dedicated area in the community garden.

They also like attending shows at the Performing Arts Center, shaping each day as they choose.

"That's what's so nice about living at Linden Ponds. We pick what we want to do and then do it," he says. "We stay busy, but it's the right kind of busy."

But what Arthur appreciates most is the opportunity to continue building model boats and share his passion with others in retirement.

"It's very rewarding," he says. "I walk down the hallway and people ask when we're coming back. It's nice to bring something joyful to other people, especially on a cold, cloudy day."

To learn more about senior living at this vibrant community, request your free brochure to get the scoop on amenities, floor plans, and so much more.

By Kelly K. Shue